Reversible vault-cover



(No Model.)

nm 00 00 1 6 m r A a w w t n v w n a I P m a 6 9 6 3 e w w w 3 w 0 N w 0...? My w Q nrTn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVIN LEE BROIVN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REVERSIBLE VAULT-COVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,139, dated April 6, 1886.

Serial No. 173,938. (X0 model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN LEE BROWN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversible Vault- Govers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of said cover. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a part of said cover and frame, a portion of the former being broken away to show the guide-studs; and Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view in plan taken upon the linea: :r, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the respective figures.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a double hinged or reversible vaultcover which may be opened alternately from either side, as occasion may require, all of which is hereinafter more particularly described,and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A represents a sidewalk, provided with the usual vault-opening, A, Fig. 1. B is the usual cast-iron frame surrounding said opening and fitted thereto, said frame being provided with an upturned flange, 1), around its inner edge, which flange is preferably rounded, as shown, and is surrounded by a groove or gutter, b, preferably formed, as indicated, by means of projections 71', cast upon said frame or in any desirable way.

The cover 0 consists of a single cast-metal plate, preferably provided with depending flanges c, as shown, which are adjusted to fit over the flange b and into the groove I).

Rigidly attached at or near the respective ends of said cover by means of bolts or rivets c c, or in any well-known manner, I provide guide-frames D, which are preferably cast in malleable iron, and consist of curved bars I) D, each of which is curved concentrically with the flange c or axis of the cover farthest therefrom, and with which are connected curved diverging branches D D, respectively, each of which is concentric with the flange or axis 0 nearest thereto. The parts D D preferably converge at the bottom, and may or may not cross each other there-at, according to the respective radii of the arcs described thereby, which must, as stated, he concentric with one or the other of said axes.

Upon the outside of the guide frames D or next to the frame 13 are grooves or slots d,

(indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 1, and shown b 12*, (better shown in Fig. 3,) which are adjusted to fit into the slots or grooves of the guide-frames D.

hen the cover is raised from one side, as shown, one of the roller-studs b retains its posit-ion in the slot d of the diverging arm D upon the side forming the axis of said cover, while the remaining stud b follows the longer groove concentric with said axis in the arm or part D. In raising the cover from the opposite side it is obvious that these conditions or relations would be reversed.

The guide-bars D D may be cast in malleable iron or forged from angle-iron having a cross-section like that shown in Fig. 3, or the slots (1 may extend entirely through said bar; but I prefer the construction shown. It is apparent that said cover may be raised from either side with equal facility, thus offering various advantages, while the guide-bars D D, in connection with the flanges c c and grooves b 0, form yielding hinges, so that any obstructions which may chance to collect in the groove 2) will not strain or break them. Said cover, when raised, may be sustained in position by means of one or more removable pins, 0, inserted in a suitable hole or holes in the frame B, as shown in Figs. 1. and 2.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new 1. A reversible hinged vault-cover, substantially as described.

2. A reversible vault-cover provided with depending guide-bars having slots or grooves concentric, respectively,with the opposite axes of the cover, and arranged to engage withnately opened from opposite sides, substansbationary studs in the frame, substantially as tially as specified. set forth. T T 3. The combination, with a vault-cover, IN LEE Witnesses:

- D. H. FLETCHER,

JOHN S. THOMPSON.

5 of the guide-frame D D D D, slotted 0r grooved, as described, and stationary guide studs 6 5*, whereby the same may be a1ter- 

